DJI’s Avata took the drone world by storm in 2022. Its cinewhoop-style design provided an intro for people who know and love DJI’s camera drones to try out first-person view (FPV) drone flying. But much like its camera drones, DJI’s Avata offered up not just stellar image quality but user-friendly features, making it a favorite for both casual flyers and professional videographers alike. But with recent price cuts on the Avata (and yes, even some unverified leaks of a potential new model of the same drone), could a DJI Avata 2 be on the horizon?

If the latest marketing email from DJI is any indication, the answer is yes. DJI subscribers on Tuesday received an email with the subject line “Ready To Roll.”

Opening it the shows an obscured photo of what is definitely drone, and almost definitely a drone with the same form as the original Avata, including the built-in propeller guards. It advertises a product launch set for April 11 at 9 a.m. ET.

Suffice to say, it’s very likely that DJI will launch some sort of successor to the original DJI Avata come April 11. Here’s what we know so far aboutt he next product launch — as well as what we want to see:

The history of the DJI Avata

When I first reviewed the DJI Avata, there was a lot to love. I liked how it seamlessly flew indoors, but was still powerful enough for outdoor flight. The camera was much higher quality than what you’d find in other FPV racing drones, making it a really compelling product for filming scenarios like real estate agents filming indoor fly throughs of properties.

But, the original Avata drone did have some issues. The Motion Controller was supposed to be easier to use, but for people used to the standard joystick controller, it often felt harder to use. The goggles were nice, but had some design flaws, like a dangling battery pack.

DJI solved a few of the problems criticized in the Avata’s August 2022 launch just about this time last year. In March 2023, DJI gave its goggles a massive upgrade, including no more loose connecting cables. It also launched the new DJI RC Motion 2, with an upgraded joystick and accelerator with reverse function.

Still though, there’s more that drone pilots say they’d like to see in a potential Avata 2, or whatever the next generation of the DJI Avata drone is called.

Let’s explore what features we’d love to see in the next iteration of this popular FPV flyer. From there, we’ll dive into the rumors of when we might next see a new version of the DJI Avata drone:

3 features we want to see in the next version of the DJI Avata drone

We could really brainstorm some blue sky features, but here are three realistic sets of upgrades we’d like to see in the next version of a DJI Avata.

An increased emphasis on cinematography

The Avata’s 4K camera is fantastic for what it is. But given how many drone pilots have been leveling up the cinematic quality of FPV drone videos. Just check out these winning videos from the annual FPV Video of the Year contest by AirVuz as an example. Yep, many are shot on DJI drones, including the Avata.

When DJI Avata launched in 2022, it wasn’t totally clear what it was. Was it a camera for filming? Was it a drone for racing? It’s increasingly proven itself best-suited as the former, which is why I’d like to see more features to make filming better than ever.

Of course, a larger image sensor would always be welcome. But, I’m also looking for better filming workflows. That ranges from more internal storage (the current 20 GB is good in a pinch, but not sufficient to rely on), to better in-app editing capabilities to share video quickly from your phone.

Here are some key specs on the original Avata:

• 1/1.7” CMOS sensor
• 48 million effective pixels
• Films at 4K/60fps and slow-motion footage at 2.7K/50/60/100/120fps.
• f/2.8 aperture
• Ultra-wide-angle lens with a viewing angle of up to 155°
• D-Cinelike color mode for a broader color palette that enables detailed chromatic adjustments

Let’s watch to see where DJI can push and improve.

More FPV freestyle abilities

I mentioned before that sometimes it feels like DJI doesn’t know what it is. Is it a racing drone or a camera drone?

But what if you could also call it an FPV freestyle drone? FPV freestyle is something of an offshoot of drone racing. But instead of flying drones as fast as you can, you fly them in a manner that showcases how many tricks you can do, like flipping, flying upside, or maneuvering through tight spaces. Curious to see an example of a freestyle drone flight? Here’s a clip from Zoe Stumbaugh, one of the world’s top FPV pilots (just note that this was not filmed using a DJI drone).

It’d be fun to see if the Avata could corner the market of FPV freestyle, which is an ultra-fun sport to watch, yet a field of drone flight that DJI has yet to engage in.

And I have good reason to believe it will be capable of freestyle — just look to the ‘trailer’ that DJI released advertising the April 11, 2024 launch. The webpage shows a drone not just racing, but even doing an entire flip.

A push to the usual specs

And my completely unoriginal ask: a general spec upgrade. We generally see this happen in new drone models. But, some things I’d like to see is boosted battery life and longer transmission distance. The current Avata gives us 18 minutes, which is good but not great. And the current transmission distance is 10 kilometers, with a transmission delay of 30 milliseconds. Longer distances and less delay is always welcome.

What makes us think an Avata 2 drone is coming

So why are we talking about the DJI Avata 2 drone now? Beyond the obvious DJI launch page, the rumor mill has been churning. We’ve already seen plenty of leaks (you can find them in a quick Google search on your own!) indicating an April 2024 launch for the Avata 2.

With those leaks, I’ve seen things like an upgraded Motion Controller and upgraded FPV Controller, too. While leaks should always be taken with a grain of salt, they do give us a glimpse into what DJI might be working on.

Alas, since they’re unconfirmed, I won’t link to them here — but you should be able to find them on your own.

Unprecedented discounts on the current DJI Avata model

Then there’s another, clearer reason why we anticipate the Avata getting an upgrade: DJI’s recent price reduction on the Avata. Often, price drops like this can signal the upcoming release of a new model as DJI clears out stock for the new version. It doesn’t hurt that the company, in turn, drums up excitement for the upcoming release.

The DJI Avata Explorer Combo typically goes for $1,278. But now it’s 35% off, selling for $829 on most retailers including Amazon and B&H Photo. That $449 discount is huge. In fact, it’s the biggest we’ve seen. For example, DJI’s most recent sale for President’s Day 2024 priced the DJI Avata Explorer Combo at $889. That puts today’s price at an additional $60 lower than what it was about a month ago.

Given the price keeps dropping, should you wait to buy the DJI Avata? We wish we had a crystal ball and could give a better answer on that one. For starters, we don’t know what DJI’s stock of Avata drones looks like, so it’s tough to say how quickly the company will sell out. But generally speaking, whenever DJI launches a new product, it discontinues production on the old mode. So jump on this deal now if you want one.

As for whether you should wait for a potential new model of the DJI Avata? That’s also hard to say. Sometimes new models are cheaper than their predecessors, but they can also be more expensive — particularly if the specs get an upgrade.

• Purchase Avata now from Amazon
• Purchase Avata now from B&H Photo
• Purchase Avata now from Adorama

The future of DJI FPV

Whether the rumors are true or not, one thing is certain: DJI’s Avata reinvigorated the FPV drone market. The Avata 2, if it comes to fruition, has the potential to be even more impressive. With its combination of power, user-friendliness, and innovative features, the Avata 2 could solidify DJI’s position at the forefront of the FPV revolution.

It could also prove a particularly enticing product now that Remote ID enforcement is in full swing. With that, drones flying outdoors that also weigh 55 grams or more are required to transmit remote ID information (typically via a remote ID module). They also must be registered. But since the rules don’t apply to indoor drone flights, products like the Avata that are specifically designed for indoor flying could be more enticing.

Here at The Drone Girl, we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for the official announcement on April 11. I personally can’t wait to see what DJI has in store for the future of FPV flight!

Now comes the fun part! It’s time for you to be an armchair DJI drone designer! If you could pick only one new feature on what we’ll call the DJI Avata 2 drone, which would it be? Leave a comment below!

The post DJI Avata 2? The 3 features we want most in a new and improved FPV drone appeared first on The Drone Girl.

How many female drone pilots are out there in the United States in 2024?

The Federal Aviation Administration in March 2024 updated its U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics report. The FAA updates the report annually with detailed airmen statistics not published in other FAA reports. And the data provides some pretty interesting insight about the number of female drone pilots in the U.S. It also sheds light on the number of female commercial and air transport pilots, too).

This fresh batch of data released on March 7, 2024 shows that there were 30,935 female pilots in the U.S. in 2023 (which is the most recent set of data). That’s a huge increase from the figure reported in 2023. Then, the FAA said there were 24,293 female drone pilots in the U.S. as of 2022.

And the share of female, remote pilots is increasing, too. According to the 2023 data, women made up 7.9% of all certified remote pilots. But as of the new 2024 data, they make up 8.39%.

The statistics that show how many female drone pilots exist come from broader data about airmen (both pilot and non-pilot). The FAA obtained the data through official airmen certification records maintained at FAA’s Aeronautical Center, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Then another group Women and Drones, which is an online drone community and support network, analyzed the data. Women and Drones also runs the annual Women in Emerging Aviation Technologies Awards, a related Hall of Fame, an annual in-person summit and its own drone diversity study, among other projects.

Women and Drones did all sorts of number crunching to better dig into what the female drone pilot area looks like. The study also showed where within the U.S. most women drone pilots are located.

Where do female drone pilots live?

The Women and Drones analysis broke out number of female drone pilots by state. It turns out that California (which is where I live!) is home to the most female drone pilots of any U.S. state. These three states have the most female drone pilots, according to the Women and Drones analysis of FAA data:

• California: 3,128
• Texas: 2,651
• Florida: 2,559

Meanwhile, these three U.S. states have the fewest female drone pilots, according to the Women and Drones analysis of FAA data:

• Rhode Island: 64
• Vermont: 78
• Delaware: 87

Check out the number of female drone pilots in your state by visiting the Women and Drones analysis page here.

Of course, note that the figures analyzing how many female drone pilots by state do somewhat represent a population map. Given that, California at No. 1 shouldn’t be all that surprising. After all, California is the most populous state, followed by Texas at No. 2 and Florida at No. 3. That’s the exact same ranking in terms of female drone pilots. That said, the least-populated states don’t necessarily have the fewest drone pilots. Wyoming is the least-populated state, but still has 108 female drone pilots. Then comes Vermont, which unsurprisingly has few drone pilots. But the third least-populated state, Alaska, has surprisingly many female drone pilots — 333 to be exact.

The rate of female drone pilots is increasing

Women and Drones also broke out the average age of female drone pilots. Despite the stereotype that tech is for the youths, the average female drone pilot is aged 38.

There are also more female drone pilots than the number of female commercial pilots and air transport pilots combined.

Again, this metric might be perhaps unsurprising as the barrier to entry to become a drone pilot is far lower. Experts describe the Part 107 test to earn your Remote Pilot Certificate as a pared-down version of the written test pilots must take to be able to fly piloted aircraft. There’s also a practical component to fly piloted aircraft in the U.S. That’s not the case for drone pilots (though other countries such as Canada do have a practical component for drone pilots, too).

Another encouraging metric? The number of female drone pilots in the U.S. is growing.

While women drone pilots are still a small minority at just 8.4%, that number has increased every single year since the data has been tracked. In 2016, just 3.9% of all drone pilots are women, but that number is growing.

On a percentage basis, the rate of all drone pilots who are women has doubled. And on a numbers basis, it has increased by about 30x. The rate of overall drone pilots has increased by a still-impressive, but not nearly as high 15x.

In short, female drone pilots are joining in the industry at a far faster rate than men these days.

Check out the rest of the Women and Drones analysis here.

The post How many female drone pilots are there in 2024? appeared first on The Drone Girl.

So you want to get your drone pilot’s license, which is a critical step in becoming a professional drone pilot. Relatively few people pass the test through self-study alone. Instead, most enroll in one of the myriad Part 107 classes.

Part 107 is a shorthand term for a set of regulations established by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing the operation of drones flying for commercial purposes (which includes, yes, your small business). Once you’ve earned your drone pilot’s license (which is formally called a Remote Pilot Certificate under Part 107), you can legally fly drones for business. To earn it, you must pass a written test, which is called the FAA Part 107 UAS Aeronautical Knowledge Test.

Part 107 classes come in two distinct forms: in-person and online. Depending on your personality and learning style, one type of class will likely be far superior to the other.

In-person Part 107 classes: the pros and cons

In-person Part 107 classes typically entail traditional classroom settings, which means face-to-face interaction with instructors and fellow students.

Where to find in-person Part 107 classes

You might find one being offered at your local community college.

Another excellent provider of in-person Part 107 courses is DARTdrones. Its flagship program, the Professional Wings Program, teaches you how to fly, how to get your Part 107 license and how to plan and execute missions all in one course, which typically spans a weekend.

The full weekend course costs about $1,500. Though, you can opt for only the Part 107 training portion, which is less than half that price.

Though pricey, the DARTdrones course can be worth it as it’s also an AUVSI TOP 1 Certified Training program. Plus, for drone pilots who want to level up their knowledge even more, DARTdrones offers a separate Trusted Operator Program Level 2 Remote Pilot Certification.

Benefits of in-person Part 107 courses

So why are in-person Part 107 classes especially great?

Accountability: As is the case with any sort of class that demands you be  physically present, enrolling in an in-person Part 107 class can force a level of accountability that you don’t get from the online course where you might be tempted to let your mind wander — or you might log off earlier than you’d intended.

Personalized attention: When you have a question, getting answers in an online course can be difficult given that you might have to search through the materials on your own, or email the instructor and wait for the response. With an in-person class, you can get you that answer immediately, simply by popping your hand up for the instructor.

Networking opportunities: Interacting with other aspiring drone pilots could help you build valuable connections. You might find your next business co-founder, or simply create a support group of folks entering the field from a similar place.

Flying practice (sometimes): Some in-person Part 107 classes also entail hands-on flight training (sometimes with simulators or even actual drones). Though there is no practical portion of the FAA’s test, learning how to fly your drone from a professional can be a smart move.

Drawbacks of in-person Part 107 classes

Limited flexibility: Classes have fixed schedules and locations, which might not work for everyone’s busy lives. You’ll also have to account for logistics (like travel time) to get there.

Higher cost: In-person classes are generally more expensive than online options. I’ll dive deeper into the prices down below, but expect in-person to be way more expensive. For example, whereas DARTdrones charges about $1,500 for a weekend of in-person droning, you could enroll in an online Part 107 course for less than $300.

Inability to work at your own pace: With an in-person class, all the information is thrown at you at once and you can’t go at your own pace. For people new to the industry, that can be overwhelming.

“I quickly learned within an hour of this two day class I was in over my head and needless to say I didn’t proceed further because I had no idea of the intensity of the knowledge that was required,” one reader, Kim, wrote in to The Drone Girl after enrolling in a Part 107 course through a local community college.

For people like Kim, online Part 107 classes turned out to be easier to stick with. Here’s more about their benefits:

Online Part 107 classes: the pros and cons

Companies like Drone Pilot Ground School and Drone Launch Academy offer online courses that consist of interactive modules made up of video lessons, practice quizzes and text to read.

Where to find online Part 107 classes

I made this one easy on you by offering up an official guide to the best online Part 107 courses. But, I’ll save you a click and highlight some top contenders:

• Drone Pilot Ground School offers a fantastic online training course with practice tests and repeatable videos. This is what I used to study for my test — and I passed on my first time — so I can guarantee it’s a good program! Use coupon code DroneGirl50 to get $50 off. It includes numerous quizzes, a one-page Part 107 study guide, access to weekly newsletters with the most up-to-date news and more.
• Drone Launch Academy offers another great online training course led by FAA-certified Advanced Ground Instructor David Young. Use coupon code DroneGirl50 or this link to get $50 off.
• John Peltier’s FAA Part 107 online training course is taught by a former Air Force pilot and instructor with more than 15 years of teaching experience. He’s one of the best manned aircraft instructors out there, so it makes sense to want to take his digital course on drones. All Peltier Photo Courses (whether the Part 107 course or other drone and photography courses) are available via a mobile app for both iOS and Android.

Benefits of online person Part 107 courses

More flexibility: Web-based Part 107 courses provide flexibility and convenience, allowing you to learn at your own pace and schedule, whether that’s late at night or in between tasks at home.

With an online course, you have more flexibility and freedom to study at your own pace – and in ways that jive best with your learning style. One Drone Girl reader said they bought a dry erase board to spell out their Part 107 goals.

Lower cost: If the $1,500 price tag I shared above for an in-person course like DARTdrones has scared you off, take solace in knowing that online courses are generally more affordable than in-person options.

All of my top picks for best online Part 107 courses cost less than $300. I used Drone Pilot Ground School to study, and I passed the test on my first try. Their base level course (which is honestly all I used) is $299, but you can use coupon code DRONEGIRL50 to save $50 and bring your price down to $249.

My other recommendation, which I consider to be my budget pick, is Drone Launch Academy. Their course is even cheaper at $199. They also have generously hooked up Drone Girl readers with a coupon code. Use coupon code DRONEGIRL50 to save $50 and bring your price down to just $149.

Live instructor interaction (sometimes): Some Part 107 classes can also offer the best of both the in-person and online worlds via a live instructor option.

Drawbacks of online Part 107 classes

Limited interaction: You might miss out on the personal touch and real-time feedback of an instructor.

Requires self-discipline: Staying motivated and focused in a self-paced environment can be challenging for some types of learners.

No hands-on experience: It’s unlikely you’ll find practical flight training in an online course. While actual flying won’t be tested in the FAA’s test, every professional pilot should have gone through professional training — which might be best done in person anyway.

The bottom line: in-person versus online

Ultimately the decision to enroll in an in-person versus online course comes down to your own learning style — and your budget.

In-person courses can force more accountability, while also offering valuable networking opportunities and even drone flight training.

But online courses tend to be self-paced, meaning you can study whenever your brain is ready — and no commute necessary. Plus, you’ll have ongoing access to materials so you can rewatch videos on units that you didn’t grasp as well. Of course, the far lower price tag is a huge benefit.

Which type of Part 107 course worked better for you? If you passed the Part 107 test, tell us how you studied in the comments below!

The post In-person vs online Part 107 classes: which is better? appeared first on The Drone Girl.

Happy 2024, dronies! Last week we looked back at the 11 biggest drone news stories of 2023. But now that it’s the new year, it’s time to look ahead, and there’s plenty of changes, policies and products set for lift off in 2024. Here are the seven biggest 2024 drone stories I’ll be following over the coming year:

Remote ID enforcement will go into effect

Remote ID (which is a sort of electronic licensing plate system for drones with a built-in layer of location information) was one of 2023’s biggest drone news stories given that Remote ID rules for drones went into effect on Sept. 16, 2023.

But the rollout was hardly smooth. Remote ID modules quickly ran out of stock, making it impossible to be compliant even if you wanted to be. It’s also drawn criticism from many drone pilots who’ve suggested it’s a waste of effort (which also means a waste of time and money) since the rule likely wouldn’t prevent bad actors from flying unidentified anyway. 

Largely in response to the module program, the FAA decided to offer a Remote ID extension in terms of enforcement, which means drone pilots now have until March 16, 2024 to make their drones Remote ID compliant.

Come March 2024, it’ll be interesting to see if that enforcement deadline gets extended once again, though that feels unlikely since most of the best Remote ID modules, such as the U.S.- made Z-RID broadcast modules from Zing, are finally back in stock.

Perhaps more interesting for those seeking juicy 2024 drone stories will be if enforcement actually leads to any meaningful changes in the drone industry. That said, many industry experts are not convinced it will. 

“Like a license plate on a vehicle, bad actors will simply stop RID transmissions (akin to removing the license plate on a car) or “spoof” the signal, similar to changing a license plate’s characters,” said Mary-Lou Smulders, chief marketing officer at Dedrone which builds counter-drone and drone detection technology.  “These shortcomings will mean that some malicious drone pilots can’t be prosecuted or caught unless there’s more than just Remote ID in place.”

California-based drone maker 3DR will relaunch

After a spectacular crash and burn of $100 million in investor funding, 3DR might be back. At the tail-end of 2023, 3DR returned by way of quietly launching a new website as well as a Discord community server.

3DR is a particularly compelling company given concerns around Chinese-made drones, such as the biggest player in the consumer drone market, DJI. Especially since Skydio shut down its consumer drone arm to instead focus on enterprise and defense industries, consumers currently have no options for a good consumer camera drone made in the USA).

We’ll be closely watching the 3DR return in 2024 and its impact on the consumer drone landscape in America. In general, American drone companies will mark among the 2024 drone stories highlights, and given its name, 3DR absolutely should be one of interest.

All the big drone events

Some of the top drone events of 2024 are pure fun, like the drone group trips to exotic destinations. Others are major conferences, which is where you can expect to see the biggest product launches. Conferences and summit also tend to be where we get the most insight on the state of drones today, whether it’s the latest policy plans from the FAA, or how politicians are thinking about shaping drone laws.

Among the biggest events to expect new product launches are CES 2024, which is just over a week away from Jan. 9 through 12 (held annually in Vegas), and AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2024, which is set for April 22 through 25 in San Diego.

The shrinking consumer drone market

Sure, conferences mean product launches, but expect most of this year’s product launches to be enterprise focused. 

That’s because, at least according to the second edition of the annual Drone Manufacturers Ranking 2023 from Drone Industry Insights (DII), the consumer drone market is shrinking. While the drone market as a whole is set to grow to $54.6 billion by 2030 (that’s a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1%), it’s actually being dragged down by the consumer market, which will slightly shrink in size by an estimated CAGR of -0.3%.

A growing enterprise market

The drone industry is set to still grow, but the consumer side is shrinking. How does that work? That’s all because the enterprise side is set to grow at a CAGR of 7.7%, according to DII predictions.

That just leads to all sorts of new use cases and companies offering drone services

“Spurred by developments from war zones to more reasonable drone legislation and BVLOS becoming easier, the drone economy across all sectors is simply going to keep growing,” Smulders said. “If BVLOS becomes easier to accomplish, drone deliveries will become a reality and DFR means that more first responder agencies will want even more drones. However, there are also some non-obvious industries that would increase their investments in drones, like the energy industry using drones with cameras equipped for visual inspections of power lines and other equipment.”

More drone companies pivot toward military applications

Many drone companies that started as consumer product makers have pivoted toward making enterprise-focused products. And of those, a steady stream of them are focusing almost primarily on government and military applications.

 For example, Parrot, which arguably deserves all the credit for bringing drones to consumers thanks to its Parrot AR.Drone (which yes, preceded the DJI Phantom) and later the Bebop consumer drones, is all about enterprise products. Its flagship drone is the ANAFI Ai, which is designed for photogrammetry on an open software platform. A sibling model called ANAFI USA is made in the U.S. and meets critical security standards including being Blue sUAS program approved, NDAA & TAA compliant. 

Then there’s Red Cat, the parent company of Teal. Teal started as a teenage boy’s vision of building modular drones primarily for FPV flying, but is now mostly focused on its Teal 2 drone, which was designed for military nighttime operations augmented by FLIR’s new Hadron 640R sensor. And by the way, that teenage boy, George Matus, is now in his mid-20s and was recently named CTO of Red Cat.

Another critical example is Skydio, which this summer announced it would shut down its consumer drone arm to instead focus on building drones and related products for enterprise and defense industries. It caught the attention of the Department of Defense. Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks even paid Skydio’s factory a personal visit in late December.

You will finally see a drone light show in person

This is more of a prediction, and I’m counting on you to make it happen. But I’m willing to whip out my crystal ball and say you will see a drone light show in person this year. Consider it an opportunity to tell your own 2024 drone stories.

That’s purely founded on the fact that drone light shows exploded in popularity in 2023, and are set on a path for the mainstream. That included Serena Williams’ baby gender reveal party, a Marvel drone show at Disneyland Paris and a show to inaugurate World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland.

 In fact, 2023 was the year that I experienced my own, first in-person drone light show.

Of course, this means you’ll have to help me out to bring this prediction to fruition by heading out to your city’s Fourth of July evening celebration, or perhaps visiting a theme park or attending a conference. You’ll be glad you did.

And if you want to ensure you don’t miss these 2024 drone stories as they develop (and almost certainly many more drone news pieces to come), enter your email address below to subscribe to The Drone Girl daily email newsletter.

The post 7 of the biggest 2024 drone stories we’re following appeared first on The Drone Girl.

2023 was a huge year for drones, which have certainly matured away from chaotic robots that people fear will spy on them, into tools for light shows, mapping and even deliveries. In fact, it was a decade ago when then-Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos took to TV to announce his company’s vision for drone delivery.

That was Black Friday of 2013, when Bezos joined the CBS television program “60 Minutes” and changed the world. Because while his company has yet to run wide-scale drone deliveries, he incited a vision of drones in the skies. Whether it’s Amazon competitors like Google spinoff Wing or Zipline running drone deliveries, or it’s drones doing something else entirely, 2023 has proven that drones are here to stay.

So with that, here’s a look at the 11 biggest drone news stories of 2023:

Remote ID rules go into effect — but enforcement of them does not

Remote ID is arguably the biggest of the drone news stories of 2023. Remote ID rules for drones went into effect on Sept. 16, 2023, bringing a mandate for a sort of electronic licensing plate system for drones with a built-in layer of location information.

But for a number of reasons — including Remote ID modules out of stock, making it impossible to be compliant — the FAA decided to offer a Remote ID extension. Drone pilots now have until March 16, 2024 to make their drones Remote ID compliant.

In an exclusive interview with The Drone Girl, the FAA shed light on some reasons why.

March 2024 isn’t that far away, so if your drone isn’t already equipped with a built-in Remote ID module, you’ll need one. Check out The Drone Girl’s guide to the best Remote ID modules, such as the U.S.- made Z-RID broadcast module from Zing.

DJI continues to release new drones…

Though DJI has far and away been the heavy-hitter in the drone space, in 2023 it did lose some market share. Still, it’s easily the biggest drone maker out there, and DJI has solidified that stance by new product launches in 2023.

Among its new drones for 2023 included the DJI Mini 4 Pro and the DJI Air 3, both excellent options for the consumer drone market. For commercial users (or wealthy prosumers), DJI launched the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, which is the world’s first three optical camera drone.

And then the biggest of the bunch is the DJI Inspire 3, which launched in April 2023 with all sorts of features including a full-frame 8K imaging system, Tilt Boost and 360° Pan dual configurations and dual-control for operators.

…and DJI releases non-drone recording gear, too

But DJI didn’t stop with the drone gear. It also has been leaning heavily into other products for audio and video recording. For action sports enthusiasts, 2023 gave us the DJI Osmo Action 4 as DJI’s competitor to the American-made GoPro’s HERO11 Black action camera. 

Filmmakers have turned to the DJI RS 3 Mini, which launched in January 2023 as a lightweight, handheld travel stabilizer developed specifically to support today’s mainstream brands of mirrorless cameras and lenses.

And for all sorts of video makers, whether TikTok influencers or pro videographers, the DJI Mic is a popular tool for mono and stereo recording at distances of up to 250 meters.

Skydio ends consumer drone division, yet leans in harder on enterprise

While DJI has always dominated the consumer drone space, folks seeking out an American-made consumer drone had high hopes for California-based DJI. Those dreams were squashed this summer when Skydio announced it would shut down its consumer drone arm to instead focus on building drones and related products for enterprise and defense industries.

But that hardly meant Skydio got smaller. Shortly after, Skydio hosted a mega press event that included the launch of its Skydio X10 drone, an enterprise-range drone that stands out for its high-resolution cameras.

Sony also pivots its drone marketing strategy to enterprise users

Skydio is not the only drone maker shying away from consumers or film use cases to instead look toward enterprise use cases like energy, public safety, transportation, construction and communications.

Sony, which first announced its Sony Airpeak S1 drone in 2021, has certainly seen adoption by filmmakers. But in 2023, it formally announced its emphasis on the industrial side by rolling out a range of enterprise-focused updates. That included a more powerful battery, a RTK kit and a better gimbal — all critical for use cases like photogrammetry.

Both Sony and Skydio’s pivots suggest that the drone industry is hardly shrinking, but rather the focus is on enterprise use cases (which is where the money is at, anyway).

Red Cat evolves and grows to secure stronghold in military drone space 

Another compelling drone company is less so about enterprise use cases, but it’s certainly not about consumer use cases. Red Cat is going all in on military drones.

That was made clear in March 2023, when Red Cat launched the Teal 2, a drone designed to fly at night (which is critical for military operations). Teal 2 claims the title of the first drone to be equipped with Teledyne FLIR’s new Hadron 640R sensor. 

In June, the Teal 2 drone was added to the Blue UAS Cleared List, a highly-selective list of drones that the Department of Defense has approved. The company has drawn major interest, and it even received a visit from Republican Senator Mitt Romney who is co-sponsoring the American Security Drone Act of 2023.

Given all that, it’s no surprise that Red Cat expects major growth in 2024. We’ll be watching to see whether the latest Red Cat management shakeup was the right move for the company to achieve that.

Drone light shows get closer to ubiquitous 

2023 gave us an onslaught of companies that make light show drones. Having so many ready-to-fly drone light show options has made it easier for small businesses to launch their own light show companies — no robust manufacturing needed to actually build the light-up drones.

Perhaps it’s no surprise then that we saw so many drone light shows in 2023, including Serena Williams’ baby gender reveal party, a Marvel drone show at Disneyland Paris and a show to inaugurate World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland.

In fact, 2023 is the year that I saw my own, first in-person drone light show.

FAA names a new Administrator

In October 2023, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Michael Whitaker to serve as administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He’s set to serve a five year term.

Given his background (including an executive role at Supernal, which is a Hyundai Motor Group company designing an electric advanced air mobility vehicle), Whitaker should be a compelling figure for the drone industry.

Drone import, export bans upend industry

Concerns about national security and intellectual property theft have led to increased scrutiny of Chinese-made drones in 2023. The U.S. government has considered a ban on the use of Chinese drones by federal agencies, such as the American Security Drone Act. That bill was proposed in February 2023 by Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida, and it would prohibit most federal agencies from using drones manufactured in China (which includes DJI drones).

That’s perhaps unsurprisingly particularly given the widespread, anti-drone sentiment that’s been stoked largely by politicians for years.

What was less likely to be on anyone’s 2023 bingo card, though, was the fact that China would impose its own restrictions on exports of certain drones. That move was in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, stemming from concern that its drones were being used for military purposes (and China has stated it wants to remain neutral in the war).

Of course, China and the U.S. aren’t the only ones playing with bans on drones from certain countries. The Indian government has also banned imported drones in an effort to prop up homegrown drone makers.

Drone delivery companies overhaul operations

While drone delivery is still in its early stages (yes, even a decade past Bezos’ 2013 announcement), 2023 saw significant progress in drone delivery technology and infrastructure. Companies are working on long-range drones, autonomous landing systems, and secure delivery hubs.

Some of the major drone delivery companies also launched significant overhauls to the way they executed drone deliveries. It started with Wing (the sister company of Google), which in March 2023 launched a new piece of hardware called Autoloader, which supports the Wing Delivery Network. With the new, more advanced Wing Delivery Network, drones linked through the Wing Delivery Network will be able pick up, drop off, travel, and charge in whatever pattern makes the most sense for the entire system.

That same month, Zipline launched an all new drone delivery platform called Platform 2 (P2), which makes the drones easier to load, and keeps them farther away from people (also allowing them to be quieter).

And not to be outdone, Flytrex in September 2023 launched ‘Autonomous Pickup,’ a new capability designed to allow drones to pick up orders from restaurants and retailers via dropdown wire. That’s a pivot from its old system where orders were loaded onto the drone by the drone’s operator.

All those new systems have made retailers more in tune with drone delivery. For example, Wing in August added Walmart to its list of clients. And drone delivery has gotten so easy, some people use it on a practically daily basis. That includes 84-year-old Susie Sensmeier, who is believed to hold the record for most drone deliveries ordered. Within four years, she had placed more than 1,200 orders for drone delivery through Wing.

And ready-to fly-delivery drones became more readily available

Those three companies use their own, in-house drones to make the delivery. But in 2023, there’s been an uptick in companies manufacturing delivery drones with the sole purpose of being purchased by others (perhaps retailers themselves) to conduct drone deliveries.

Most notably is DJI, which in August launched its ready-to-fly FlyCart 30 delivery drone. Though, it’s only available in China. U.S. customers might instead consider the RDSX Pelican, which is a new, flagship product from California-based A2Z Drone Delivery.

So what’s next for the drone industry? You’ll have to tune in to Drone Girl’s predictions, hopes and visions for 2024. Check back with Drone Girl next week (or enter your email in the right side of this website to subscribe to email alerts) to see what I’m looking forward to and expecting most of all from drones in 2024.

What were your top drone news stories of 2023? Post them in the comments below!

The post The 11 biggest drone news stories of 2023 appeared first on The Drone Girl.